I liked Adire. For me it is a fable like Forrest Gump is - bordering on the fantastic with magical story subplots and extremely cartoonish characters. The only part that is fully fixed in reality is the pregnancy subplot. With most fables there is a lesson taught - this one rails against preachiness and judging people by their exteriors. Unfortunately, the film''s ending fails in this regard as it turns preachy with the 360° self reinvention by the preacher's wife. And ambiguous closing would have worked better. And yes, Ms. Bankole rode this horse rather well.
14:43 I think the point of her lingerie business was to make the women feel more confident in their bodies and she showed them that they yielded more power over their husbands.
That's one way to look at it. I wish she had limited it to confidence in themselves EXCLUSIVE of the useless husbands. But sghe tied it to the husbands - and the context being she had previously blamed the woman for her husband's cheating. So they lost me there.
It was clearly stated that she was getting the money from the men to act like she actually had sex with them. I don't think she was still into that whole business when she moved into the village the only time they gave us the impression was when Thomas has shared his story with her even paid her more which she was shocked by
I said in the first instance, she "played into her own subjugation by role playing sex" so yes, I know that she did not sleep with Kelechi Udegbe's character. In the second instance, she did take money and she fully intended to sleep wit him for it. I don't know what else to call that. Whatever she was doing, that does not sound like putting behind a life she didn't want anymore. Play stupid games, win stupid prices LOL
"Writer was a man, director was a man..." Ha! Shots fired! Splendid review as usual. I especially loved the point about how the movie could have made the most of its "Adire" title. Issues like that should never to be overlooked. On the issue of "moral lessons," I've found myself at a loss on how the industry is to progress beyond that. Because I have seen several Nollywood movies that ended on morally vague notes, in the company of people who complained about it having taught them nothing, or teaching the wrong things. So, in a sense, a film could be punished or rejected for holding back on moral lessons. This is especially interesting, because these demands never come up when same people watch Hollywood movies and others. The question becomes do we go on making movies with moral lessons attached; or do we move in the opposite direction as a whole, forcing or teaching audiences to finally start looking beyond such issues? Great review, once again. Catch you on the next one.
There's a filmmaker who used to say "If I want to send you a message, it's easier for me to just write a letter instead of making a movie." Annnnnnd.... I tend to agree with that. In a way. Like, I want movies that "have something to say." But I don't think "having something to say" is necessarily the same thing as "bearing deep moral instruction for the betterment of society." Now obviously I think it is fantastic if art can make viewers think about their place in the world, and hopefully even make them change their behavior in a way that contributes to making the world a better place to live--as long as it is done in a relatively non-didactic manner. But I really don't think it should be the artist's obligation to supply "moral messages." But really, I've come to terms with the notion that Africans kind of expect this. When you look at it, the roots of African storytelling in oral traditions, proverbs, folktales, etc. It's always a key feature of those stories that they have some kind of message. So maybe it is kind of necessary in an African context. I just don't want it to be preachy... and I want it to respect the intelligence of the view, not tell them what to do like they're stupid.
Yeah. That's my overall attitude towards the issue. There's something about movies with moral lessons which often has them veering straight for preachiness. Especially here in Nollywood where things are most likely going to take an ultraconservative outlook. The average viewer down here seems to expect an outright moral which in lieu of a postscript looks something like meek or unbendingly noble people winning, while cardboard cut bad guys lose. No avenue for grey areas. However, I feel like any film/story which takes the humanity of its characters seriously inevitably does say something. Perhaps, a few more of those down in the dirt grittiness in our movies might suggest something of a moral. Still I know people who complained about Oloture, because it ended with the protagonist still in captivity instead of escaping, as that didn't send the right message. That's like saying "if you're going to say anything at all, say precisely this, otherwise just shoot your inane bubblegum movie and be on your way." And it shows in our movies.
@@HazeSolum-gx3gz "Any film/story which takes the humanity of its characters seriously inevitably does say something." For real, that's a brilliant sentence and I think I apologize in advance because I'm sure I'm totally going to steal it at some point! Anyway, I try to ask myself whether it is necessarily bad that African audiences expect a story to convey some kind of moral. After all, African art tends to be utilitarian, to varying degrees. Traditionally, there has to be a *reason* for the art's existence. Some sort of purpose it serves in society beyond mere amusement. And I think that is just fine, mostly.... the only problem with it is that with the core Nollywood audience, the consideration of the moral utility of a story seems to override every other aesthetic aspect of the art. So poor writing, acting, cinematography, scoring etc is eagerly forgiven so long as the film offers "a good message."
When I heard the Title, I thought the story would be build and developed around the Adire fabric or some of symbolism. But that title was just for marketing purposes. Secondly, I agree with you regarding not looking for moral lessons in a film.😂 I know where to find morals of I need a moral update… films are for the thrill and amazement for me. I want to be amazed and taken on a new ride. I’m stuck with your movie reviews.😩😩😩
Ah! I have been trying to make time to watch this movie and Breath Of Life. I was about to watch it now, but decided to watch your review first. Let me procrastinate on it first mbok and watch Breath Of Life instead. Phewwwwwwwww!!!
This movie had the potential to be so much more!! I was confused half the time especially with the *xxx looks familiar* that like 3 people mentioned. But I enjoyed watching it sha. Please do a review of the following movies - Shaina -WAR: Wrath and Revenge Thanks 🙏
Yeah, it was enjoyable in its way. I’ll watch Shaina and see😅 As for WAR…I don’t know. I don’t want to watch the whole thing again and i have SOTC nostalgia. This seemed somehow…less. I’ll definitely check out Shaina. Thank you for the suggestion. ❤
First off, love the art. Keep showing it off! Calling it "the meet & greet at the abortion clinic" is wild! 😂😂 Love the examples of good exposition. It's much easier to spot bad exposition. Thought that 'love interest' was a creep. Still not sure what this film is meant to be about 😩😩
Thank you!! And yes, re: exposition. I was genuinely surprised. It may be a focused skill of this writer. We all have that. This film… we're all in a "why did the chicken cross the road" state fr.
I agree 100% with your point about the lack of interiority with the main character. I never had a sense of what Asari/Adire really thought about anything: About her life as a sex worker, about Captain, about the people in Oyo Town, about Thomas, or Tobi or any of the other men in the town. Were her feelings towards any of these sincere or opportunistic? The only glimpse we get of her inner life is when she see her traumatic origin story, which actually does cast all of her behavior in a new light but we never fully reckon with that in any real way.
Right. If anything the backstory confused me more. There was tailoring there but did she learn then? She was so young. She didn’t try to locate her family or anything once she got free. Frustrating movie.
For this movie, I'm a little torn.. it had potentials but lacked depth, but i would watch Adire 10x over Anikulapo and yet that movie garnered awards. At least this movie had where it was headed and clear relatable lessons to teach, i have not gotten over how uninspiring, unrelatable and unwatchable Anikulapo was and yet people gave it good reviews. I can't seem to stop mentioning it, sorry people.
@@pearlosibu Finally someone with a brain and one that works too. I think we're soul sisters, because when I remember the data I spent in watching Anikulapo, my anger wells up again. I wasted my hard earned #500 data for that, very upsetting. That anyone dared to nominate it for any award other than worst Nollywood Netflix movie, more upsetting, that it won against movies like ' Man of God ', I'm literally still livid.
@@silverlamb5768😂😂😂😂😂 take it easy. Nw can kill somebody. I’m typing this as i just finished watching pt 1 of merry men and i feel like i was just in a fatal accident and barely made it out alive.
@@pearlosibu My sister, chei yaa, sorry o. Copy copy is what is killing us in this country. I mostly don't watch our so called high profile movies, I just get angry with myself. Sorry, just get up and go about your business jare
I liked Adire. For me it is a fable like Forrest Gump is - bordering on the fantastic with magical story subplots and extremely cartoonish characters. The only part that is fully fixed in reality is the pregnancy subplot.
With most fables there is a lesson taught - this one rails against preachiness and judging people by their exteriors. Unfortunately, the film''s ending fails in this regard as it turns preachy with the 360° self reinvention by the preacher's wife. And ambiguous closing would have worked better. And yes, Ms. Bankole rode this horse rather well.
Thank you!
This is a spot on review 👌
You echoed my reservations on it, fs.
Thank you❤
14:43 I think the point of her lingerie business was to make the women feel more confident in their bodies and she showed them that they yielded more power over their husbands.
That's one way to look at it. I wish she had limited it to confidence in themselves EXCLUSIVE of the useless husbands. But sghe tied it to the husbands - and the context being she had previously blamed the woman for her husband's cheating. So they lost me there.
Looool you have also reached the "I won't see the intention" stage 😩😩
I have oooo No gree for anybody LOL
It was clearly stated that she was getting the money from the men to act like she actually had sex with them. I don't think she was still into that whole business when she moved into the village the only time they gave us the impression was when Thomas has shared his story with her even paid her more which she was shocked by
I said in the first instance, she "played into her own subjugation by role playing sex" so yes, I know that she did not sleep with Kelechi Udegbe's character. In the second instance, she did take money and she fully intended to sleep wit him for it. I don't know what else to call that. Whatever she was doing, that does not sound like putting behind a life she didn't want anymore. Play stupid games, win stupid prices LOL
"Writer was a man, director was a man..."
Ha! Shots fired!
Splendid review as usual. I especially loved the point about how the movie could have made the most of its "Adire" title. Issues like that should never to be overlooked.
On the issue of "moral lessons," I've found myself at a loss on how the industry is to progress beyond that. Because I have seen several Nollywood movies that ended on morally vague notes, in the company of people who complained about it having taught them nothing, or teaching the wrong things. So, in a sense, a film could be punished or rejected for holding back on moral lessons. This is especially interesting, because these demands never come up when same people watch Hollywood movies and others.
The question becomes do we go on making movies with moral lessons attached; or do we move in the opposite direction as a whole, forcing or teaching audiences to finally start looking beyond such issues?
Great review, once again. Catch you on the next one.
This is an interesting subject. Let me sic my husband onto this comment. He’s very good with that kind of discussion.
Sweet.
It's become this whole thing I want to write properly on sef.
I'll holler when I do, and maybe we can all talk about it.
There's a filmmaker who used to say "If I want to send you a message, it's easier for me to just write a letter instead of making a movie." Annnnnnd.... I tend to agree with that. In a way. Like, I want movies that "have something to say." But I don't think "having something to say" is necessarily the same thing as "bearing deep moral instruction for the betterment of society."
Now obviously I think it is fantastic if art can make viewers think about their place in the world, and hopefully even make them change their behavior in a way that contributes to making the world a better place to live--as long as it is done in a relatively non-didactic manner. But I really don't think it should be the artist's obligation to supply "moral messages."
But really, I've come to terms with the notion that Africans kind of expect this. When you look at it, the roots of African storytelling in oral traditions, proverbs, folktales, etc. It's always a key feature of those stories that they have some kind of message. So maybe it is kind of necessary in an African context. I just don't want it to be preachy... and I want it to respect the intelligence of the view, not tell them what to do like they're stupid.
Yeah. That's my overall attitude towards the issue. There's something about movies with moral lessons which often has them veering straight for preachiness. Especially here in Nollywood where things are most likely going to take an ultraconservative outlook.
The average viewer down here seems to expect an outright moral which in lieu of a postscript looks something like meek or unbendingly noble people winning, while cardboard cut bad guys lose. No avenue for grey areas.
However, I feel like any film/story which takes the humanity of its characters seriously inevitably does say something. Perhaps, a few more of those down in the dirt grittiness in our movies might suggest something of a moral.
Still I know people who complained about Oloture, because it ended with the protagonist still in captivity instead of escaping, as that didn't send the right message.
That's like saying "if you're going to say anything at all, say precisely this, otherwise just shoot your inane bubblegum movie and be on your way."
And it shows in our movies.
@@HazeSolum-gx3gz "Any film/story which takes the humanity of its characters seriously inevitably does say something."
For real, that's a brilliant sentence and I think I apologize in advance because I'm sure I'm totally going to steal it at some point!
Anyway, I try to ask myself whether it is necessarily bad that African audiences expect a story to convey some kind of moral. After all, African art tends to be utilitarian, to varying degrees. Traditionally, there has to be a *reason* for the art's existence. Some sort of purpose it serves in society beyond mere amusement.
And I think that is just fine, mostly.... the only problem with it is that with the core Nollywood audience, the consideration of the moral utility of a story seems to override every other aesthetic aspect of the art. So poor writing, acting, cinematography, scoring etc is eagerly forgiven so long as the film offers "a good message."
The movie had so much potential. But it is obvious the writer was a man. It could have been much more if it was mixed.
Agreed 100%
I couldn't even get pass ten minutes of the movie
Sigh. How we go do!
I actually enjoyed watching Adire.. the actors did a great job.
Would love to get a review of tribe of judah mam...I love your review
When I heard the Title, I thought the story would be build and developed around the Adire fabric or some of symbolism. But that title was just for marketing purposes.
Secondly, I agree with you regarding not looking for moral lessons in a film.😂 I know where to find morals of I need a moral update… films are for the thrill and amazement for me. I want to be amazed and taken on a new ride.
I’m stuck with your movie reviews.😩😩😩
Ah! I have been trying to make time to watch this movie and Breath Of Life. I was about to watch it now, but decided to watch your review first. Let me procrastinate on it first mbok and watch Breath Of Life instead. Phewwwwwwwww!!!
This movie had the potential to be so much more!! I was confused half the time especially with the *xxx looks familiar* that like 3 people mentioned.
But I enjoyed watching it sha.
Please do a review of the following movies
- Shaina
-WAR: Wrath and Revenge
Thanks 🙏
Yeah, it was enjoyable in its way. I’ll watch Shaina and see😅
As for WAR…I don’t know. I don’t want to watch the whole thing again and i have SOTC nostalgia. This seemed somehow…less. I’ll definitely check out Shaina. Thank you for the suggestion. ❤
First off, love the art. Keep showing it off!
Calling it "the meet & greet at the abortion clinic" is wild! 😂😂
Love the examples of good exposition. It's much easier to spot bad exposition.
Thought that 'love interest' was a creep. Still not sure what this film is meant to be about 😩😩
Thank you!! And yes, re: exposition. I was genuinely surprised. It may be a focused skill of this writer. We all have that. This film… we're all in a "why did the chicken cross the road" state fr.
I agree 100% with your point about the lack of interiority with the main character. I never had a sense of what Asari/Adire really thought about anything: About her life as a sex worker, about Captain, about the people in Oyo Town, about Thomas, or Tobi or any of the other men in the town. Were her feelings towards any of these sincere or opportunistic?
The only glimpse we get of her inner life is when she see her traumatic origin story, which actually does cast all of her behavior in a new light but we never fully reckon with that in any real way.
Right. If anything the backstory confused me more. There was tailoring there but did she learn then? She was so young. She didn’t try to locate her family or anything once she got free. Frustrating movie.
For this movie, I'm a little torn.. it had potentials but lacked depth, but i would watch Adire 10x over Anikulapo and yet that movie garnered awards. At least this movie had where it was headed and clear relatable lessons to teach, i have not gotten over how uninspiring, unrelatable and unwatchable Anikulapo was and yet people gave it good reviews. I can't seem to stop mentioning it, sorry people.
When Anikulapo ended my mouth fell open and stayed open. I was like wait, that’s it? It was so pointless 😂😂😂
@@pearlosibu Finally someone with a brain and one that works too. I think we're soul sisters, because when I remember the data I spent in watching Anikulapo, my anger wells up again. I wasted my hard earned #500 data for that, very upsetting. That anyone dared to nominate it for any award other than worst Nollywood Netflix movie, more upsetting, that it won against movies like ' Man of God ', I'm literally still livid.
@@silverlamb5768😂😂😂😂😂 take it easy. Nw can kill somebody. I’m typing this as i just finished watching pt 1 of merry men and i feel like i was just in a fatal accident and barely made it out alive.
@@pearlosibu My sister, chei yaa, sorry o. Copy copy is what is killing us in this country. I mostly don't watch our so called high profile movies, I just get angry with myself. Sorry, just get up and go about your business jare
Brilliant. Excellent analysis. Kudos
🙏🏾 thank you, my commander